Arrests at Nationwide Recycling over suspected fraud

Investigations by MRW have revealed that Welsh glass reprocessor Nationwide Recycling has had its accreditation to issue packaging recovery notes suspended by the Environment Agency (EA). MRW understands this is because of suspected “large scale fraud offences, illegal waste activities and money laundering at the site”.

Around 30 officers from the EA and South Wales Police raided Nationwide’s plant in Llandarcy, near Swansea on 15 December, following a year-long investigation by the EA.

Two men aged 44 and 45, and a woman aged 47 were arrested and questioned at Swansea Central Police station by EA officers. At the time, they were released on police bail to appear at a later date for further questioning.

A spokeswoman for Nationwide Recycling said: “The directors initiated a full investigation into the allegations and Nationwide Recycling Ltd is co-operating fully with the EA.”

Documents from the EA’s National Packaging Waste Database show that Nationwide Recycling was the only glass reprocessor to have its accreditation suspended in 2010. This happened on 14 December. It is not on the accreditation register for 2011.

Currently, no charges have been brought against those who were arrested.

That was 2018 – the year when China’s ban on most waste material imports really showed how decisions in one country can affect those on the other side of the world, as the UK and others scrambled to find alternative capacity.

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